Cigarette ring



March 1, 1938. W.P..AULL 2,109,609

CIGARETTE RING Filed Feb. 20, 1936 Patented Mar. 1, 1938 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFIQE' 11 Claims.

This invention relates to cigarette rings for holding cigarettes inconnection with a finger of the left hand in a position to beconveniently brought into contact with the lips of the smoker.

Objects of the invention are to provide a cigarette ring adapted to beworn upon the forefinger of the left hand and equipped with means toreceive and hold a cigarette firmly at an upward angle across the backof the hand and separated from the hand a sufiicient distance so thatthe burning cigarette will not cause discomfort; to provide meansconveniently manipulative to release and eject the butt of thecigarette; to provide means for enclosing and covering the cigaretteholding devices when they are not in use; and to provide the holdingdevices so that they will move to and retain a position in which theburning end of the cigarette is inclined outwardly away from the back ofthe hand.

Other objects will be readily apparent from the following description,reference being made to the annexed drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is aperspective view of my improved cigarette ring mounted on the forefingerof the left hand and showing the cigarette held thereby.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the ring.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the enclosing portion or setting of thering.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view showing the cigarette holding device insection.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of the cigarette I holder showing theactuating spring for the clamping element.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing in side elevation anotherform of ring band.

Fig. 9 is a view of the ring shown in Fig. 8 looking toward the righthand side thereof.

The ring shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 comprises a bottom wall I, side walls2 and 3 and end walls 4 and 5 forming a receptacle or enclosure for thecigarette holding device when the same is not in use. A rod 6 issupported by the walls 2 and 3 near the end wall 4, and a plate 1 ishinged on said rod and actuated outwardly by a spring 8 coiled on therod. The outer end of the plate I is formed with a curved notch 9, thecurvature of which conforms generally to a part of the circumference ofa cigarette in, as shown.

A cigarette gripper and ejector is pivoted to the outer end portion ofthe plate 1, and comprises an arcuate portion ll formed by shaping apiece of raise the gripper to receive a cigarette or to dis charge thebutt of. a smoked cigarette. An arcuate arm ii extends from the wall it?and, when the gripper is released from clamping engagement with thecigarette, said arm IT will eject the cigarette from the holder.

When the plate '3 is extended outwardly for use, it is pressed againstthe upper margin of the wall 6 by the spring 3 and will be retained inthat inclined position so that, when the cigarette is placed in theholder, the end that is ignited extends across and inclines away fromthe back of the hand, as shown in Fig. 1.

A lid i8 is mounted on a pivot is near the wall 5 and has on one side adepending flange 2! formed with an indentation 2! that will receive aprojection or spur 22 in connection with the inner side of the wall 2and thereby hold the closure IS in closed position. The lid or closure!8, when in latching engagement withthe projection or spur 22, willretain the cigarette holder device within the enclosure. The lid I8 hason its free end a pair of opposite extended ears 23 for convenientengagement by a finger or thumb nail to open the lid.

The lid may also be closed even when the cigarette holder is extendedtothe position shown in Fig. 4, the dimensions of the parts 2i and 22 being sufficient to permit latching engagement to be obtained. This isbecause the flange 28 can be extended far enough into the enclosure topermit the spur 22 to engage into theindentation 2i even when thecigarette holding device is extended from the enclosure, as shown inFig. 4.

As shown in Fig. 4, the opposite ends of a coil spring 24 are attachedto the rods 9 and iii and has thereon a series of beads 25. The spring2d, being elastic, adapts the ring to be worn by different persons andon fingers of varying sizes.

The ring shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is of the same construction exceptingthat the spring 24 and the beads 25 are omitted. Instead, a splitresilient ring band 26 is attached to the bottom wall I and has itsoverlapping ends 21 and 28 unattached so that the ring may be worn onfingers of different sizes.

The bottom portion 29 of the ring band shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is flatand of sufficient width to support the ring in an upright position withthe cigarette extending upwardly if the ring be placed upon a table orother support.

When the cigarette burns down into proximity with the clamping device,the fire will be extinguished since the cigarette will not burn throughthe clamp.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that this device makes it mostconvenient for the wearer to smoke and to carry a burning cigarette, ora cigar, and yet have full use of all of the fingers of the hand onwhich the ring is worn, all without danger of burning the fingers orbending the cigarette, or the necessity of putting the cigarette downuntil desired.

It is now apparent that the invention attains all of its intendedobjects efficiently and satisfactorily. The rings may be made of anyornamental material and configuration. I do not restrict myselfunessentially, but what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. In a cigarette ring, the combination with an enclosure, of a memberhaving one end pivoted in said enclosure for swinging movements to placesaid member in said enclosure or to extend said member angularly fromsaid enclosure, 2. device pivoted to said member and cooperatingtherewith for holding a cigarette between said device and said member,and means for holding said member in said enclosure.

2. In a cigarette ring, the combination with an enclosure, of a memberhaving one end pivoted in said enclosure for swinging movements to placesaid member in said enclosure or to extend said member angularly fromsaid enclosure, a device pivoted to said member and cooperatingtherewith for holding a cigarette between said device and said member, alid movable to position to hold said member in said enclosure and alsomovable to position to release said member, and a spring for swingingsaid member outwardly from said enclosure.

3. In a cigarette ring, the combination with an enclosure, of a clampingmember pivoted in one end of said enclosure for swinging movements intosaid enclosure and to outwardlyextended position, a device supported bysaid clamping member and cooperating therewith to hold a cigarettebetween said member and said device, and means for holding said clampingdevice in clamping engagement with a cigarette.

4. In a cigarette ring, the combination with an enclosure, of a clampingmember pivoted in one end of said enclosure for swinging movements intosaid enclosure and to outwardly extended position, a device supported bysaid clamping member and cooperating therewith to hold a cigarettebetween said member and said device, means for holding said clampingmember and thereby said device in a position for engagement with acigarette, and means for holding said clamping device in clampingengagement with a cigarette in a position in which the cigarette extendsobliquely outwardly with respect to the back of the hand of the wearerof the ring.

5. In a cigarette ring, the combination with an enclosure attached tothe ring, of a member having one end pivoted in one end of saidenclosure for swinging movements from position in said enclosure tooutwardly extended position, and a device pivoted to said member andcooperating therewith to hold a cigarette between said device and saidmember.

6. In a cigarette ring, the combination with an enclosure attached tothe ring, of a member having one end pivoted in said enclosure forswinging movements from within said enclosure to outwardly extendedposition, and a device pivoted to said member and cooperating therewithto hold a cigarette extended obliquely across and from the hand of thewearer.

7. In a cigarette ring, the combination with an enclosure attached tothe ring, of a member having one end pivoted in said enclosure forswinging movements from within said enclosure to outwardly extendedposition, a device pivoted to said member and cooperating therewith tohold a cigarette extended obliquely across and from the hand of, thewearer, and manual means for releasing said device from engagement withthe cigarette and for ejecting the cigarette from between said memberand said device.

8. The combination with a ring having a fiat portion at one sideconstituting a base for supporting the ring vertically on a support, ofan enclosure attached to the opposite side of the ring, a member havingone end pivoted in said enclosure for swinging movements of said memberinto and out of said enclosure, means for swinging said member outwardlyfrom within said enclosure to position at an angle to said enclosure,and means supported by and cooperating with said member to hold acigarette.

9. The combination with an expansible and contactible ring having a flatportion at one side constituting a base for supporting the ringvertically on a support, of. an enclosure attached to the opposite sideof the ring, a member having one end pivoted in said enclosure forswinging movements of said member into and out of said enclosure, meansfor swinging said member outwardly from within said enclosure toposition at an angle to said enclosure, a gripper supported by andcooperating with said member to hold a cigarette in position in whichthe cigarette extends obliquely upwardly from the support on which thering is mounted, and a spring for actuating said gripper to cooperatewith said member as'aforesaid.

10. A device of the character described comprising an expansibleresilient ring having overlapping unattached ends, an enclosure attachedto one side of said ring, a member pivoted in said enclosure forswinging movements from within said enclosure to outwardly extendedposition, a device pivoted to said member and cooperating therewith toclamp a cigarette between them, means for pressing said device intoclamping engagement with a cigarette, and a manually engageable portionon said device for operating the same to release a cigarette.

11. A device of the character described comprising an expansible ring,an enclosure attached to one side of said ring, a member pivoted in saidenclosure for swinging movements from within said enclosure to outwardlyextended position, a device pivoted to said member and cooperatingtherewith to clamp a cigarette between them, means for pressing saiddevice into clamping engagement with a cigarette, a manually engageableportion on said device for operating the same to release a cigarette,and means operated by said device for ejecting the cigarette when saiddevice is manually operated as aforesaid.

WATSON P. AULL.

